Hippie Memorial Dedication Speech
Even after thirty years of marriage to Bob Moomaw, I was always surprised by his ideas--and this event is another surprise. Bob said there have been sculptures built on more ridiculous concepts than my life--this is not ridiculous--this is my life: a Hell of a mess. Why a memorial to hippies? He said they changed our society for the good. Because of them, he didn't have to conform anymore. the sculpture represents his life--mounted atop a wall. Made of iron rods, junk parts and crafted metal. The short portion on the left is the first 26 years of his life: which included the depression, World War II, the "RED" scare and the hypocrisies of the 1950's. He said it was like living in a coal mine with a 3 ft. ceiling; The tallest man he ever met was 3 ft. tall. Society forced people to stoop.
The memorial rises to 6 ft. representing the 1960's to the 1980's when the hippies hit and raised the ceiling off everything! Everyone got up to stand up against oppression and repression Bob said it was like growing up! They broke free from small town morality during the "Kennedy Camelot” and the "Hippie Movement". The metal shapes are
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In 1980 Reagan necked society down into small-mind-ed-ness again.
The crossbars are the "webs of his life". As his life passed through time, other peoples junk stuck to him and made him what he was--the product of leftovers from a previous existence. He said he never got to determine a thing in life; it was determined for him. Bob said, he left the pieces raw--so they would rust--the way life is--junk collecting rust is all life is.
Was Bob Moomaw a hippie? NO. He did have a beard and a pony tail while attending the university. He was THERE at the same TIME & PLACE as the hippies were, but he was raising his children then, to use the freedom of THEIR minds to search for knowledge in education as he did. As he said, "to his shame, he was no hippie"!
Hippies, he said, gave us room to BREATHE: and that is what aspect of their existence he was honoring. Bob would greatly enjoy this celebration of his life sculpture--thank you all for joining in our dedication of his work:
MOOMAW--AMERICA'S--ONE & ONLY HIPPIE MEMORIAL!
Sherron Moomaw
June 29,1999
Erected 1999.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Civil Rights
Location. 39° 41.122′ N, 88° 18.494′ W. Marker is in Arcola, Illinois, in Douglas County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of North Oak Street and East Jefferson Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Arcola IL 61910, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Birthplace of Johnny Gruelle (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away); Mattoon's Union Agricultural Fairgrounds and Civil War Camp Grant (approx. 13.9 miles away); 21st Illinois Infantry (approx. 13.9 miles away); 143rd Illinois Infantry (approx. 13.9 miles away); Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant (approx. 13.9 miles away); 123rd Illinois Infantry (approx. 13.9 miles away); 79th Illinois Infantry (approx. 13.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arcola.
Also see . . . Resident Scold. From the Chicago Tribune (Submitted on July 22, 2019, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)
Additional commentary.
1. Obituary of Bob Moomaw
ARCOLA — Robert John "Bob" Moomaw, 63, of Arcola died at 4:57 a.m. Tuesday (April 7, 1998) at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Arcola with Father Joe Allen officiating. Burial with military rites conducted by Arcola VFW Post 7862 will be in Arcola Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. with a wake service at 7:45 p.m. today at Edwards Fuenral Home in Arcola.
He was born Aug. 16, 1934, the son of John Willis and Della May Maples Moomaw. He married Sherron Nicholas in 1962. She survives.
Also surviving are two sons, John Moomaw of Rantoul and William Moomaw of Arcola; four daughters, Jody Springer of Indianapolis, Ind., Jane Moomaw of Springfield, Carolyn Williams of Mahomet and Joanna Laffey of Bloomington; a sister, Lulu Ann Cunefare of Newton; and nine grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a half brother.
Mr. Moomaw was an Army veteran and member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. He retired from the Illinois Central Gulf railroad after 39 years. He currently was the operator of Moomaw Sign Group in Arcola
Herman Padgett
Credits. This page was last revised on January 4, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 29, 2019, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 311 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 22, 2019, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
